Solid Red Light on Blackbox

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Bill
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Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby Bill » Thu Apr 11, 2019 16:23

Hello, I need some assistance. I am confused, and my new stick does not work. I have a solid red light (stick)on the Black Box as well as a solid blue light (sys) all other lights on the Black Box are off. This is a new gunfighter controller with a new Space Grip, and guess what, I am a first time user of the hardware/software. All the hardware is like 2 days old. All attempts to read help on this forum as well as the Quick Start instructions have not helped. Since the Solid Red light problem has not ever been address on this forum before I suspect I am missing something oblivious.

Software I am using.
Config Software. VKB Device Config V 0.89.76
Boot Loader V 1.15
Firmware VKB-Sim Space Gunfighter V 1.967

I Flash, I Reset, I Calibrate. After each step the red light goes out, flashes to green then turn solid red. Also I have a beautiful blue light on the stick, not sure if that means anything.

I have read the "blinking red light" problems and went through the steps suggested to get the lights showing a correct installation, but nothing has changed here. Since my problem is a solid red light I have to assume my problem is different.
I have noticed that when I remove the grip form the controller the solid red light changes to a blinking green which is not what others have noted.

To add to my confusion I do not understand the difference between Device Firmware and Kosmosimia Support Firmware. The FW referenced above V 1.967 is the only FW I am attempting to flash, I have downloaded the Device firmware which is V 1. 96.0 but do not know what to do with it.

The VKB Controller/BlackBox are plugged into a USB 3.0 port directly on the PC, no hub involved. Prior to this stick I had a Microsoft Force Feedback stick operating in that USB port. I have tried two other ports.

Your help and comments are needed here.

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Re: Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby fallout9 » Thu Apr 11, 2019 18:59

Make sure the grip is settled properly into the base - there's a small hole on the bottom of the grip that has to fit all the way down a metal pin on the base. In some cases (mine included) that hole was a bit tight for the pin so it needs some pressure to fit it in.

If it's still not working try a new install:
- download VKBdevCfg (v0.90.06) from here https://vkbcontrollers.com/wp-content/u ... .90.06.zip and ZBootloader (v1.15) from here https://vkbcontrollers.com/wp-content/u ... -v1_15.zip
- move ZBootloader. exe to VKBdevCfg' installation dir
- download VKB Gunfighter Mk.I/II Firmware w/ Kosmosima Support (v1.96.7) from here https://vkbcontrollers.com/wp-content/u ... 1_96_B.zip and put it in the same dir as above
- open VKBdevCfg, press Bootloader, chose the Kosmosima firmware and flash it
- when VKBdevCfg restarts press Reset to default
- calibrate the stick.
Last edited by fallout9 on Sat Apr 13, 2019 5:20, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby Bill » Thu Apr 11, 2019 23:16

Well things have gone from bad to worse here. Let me explain.

I did what you said. First I deleted all previously downloaded Firmware from my files. I than followed your links and downloaded and unzipped to the folder I call VKB/software. I than began the install by opening the Config software as the Administrator. I followed your instructions and everything went well, however the solid red light remained on as I described in the earlier post. Did you know the Controller/Grip firmware you pointed me to is for the Gladiator? I figured you did, I have a Gunfighter.

I than decided to look at the bottom of the grip and the top of the controller that mates with the grip, everything fits together fine with the exception of something in the controller receptacle that I have pictured. Not sure what this is or if it is a problem, it looks like thin plastic tape maybe. It looks perfect in two out of three points of the center post of the controller. The one that does not look good is kind of smashed and maybe even shredded. I swear I did not do this! Picture Attached.

At this time I noticed that the lights (red and blue) had gone off on the Black Box. I put the grip back on the controller and attempted to download the firmware again. But there are a couple of things happening. When I bring up the Config program it cannot find the controller and displays VKB Boot N Joy 32 Platform V00.56 in the upper window. If I unplug the usb cable from the pc and plug it back in the BlackBox lights come on (solid red and solid blue). At this time the Config program can see the controller as the Space stick with the V1.967 firmware. But things have changed with the Boot Loader. When the boot loader comes up it continually displays Error Read Data and Error Write Data, and will not stop rolling that text.

Any thoughts?

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Re: Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby Bill » Thu Apr 11, 2019 23:30

Let me try that photo again. There must be a size limit on attachments here.

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Re: Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby fallout9 » Fri Apr 12, 2019 0:16

Close the bootloader and the cfg program and try again to load the firmware. Happened to me in the past too, it worked fine after a few tries.
And sorry about the Gladiator confusion.

LE: open file zconfig.ini and add this line "User=Developer" under [User] section (without ") and save it. Open VKBdevCfg, navigate to Global tab -> External tab -> LED tab, take a screenshot and post it here - VKB staff will need that in order to advise you further.
My opinion is that the stick still doesn't make proper contact with the base, but in this case the red light on the Stick LED should be blinking and not solid.

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Re: Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby Bill » Sun Apr 14, 2019 1:16

Sorry for the delay in getting back with you. I got the Bootloader to operate as it should by doing what you said. Tried loading the correct Gunfighter firmware after cleaning call contacts with Acetone, the firmware loaded ok, but I still have the solid red light. I made the change to the zconfig.ini file, the screen shot is attached.

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Re: Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby Bill » Sun Apr 14, 2019 1:28

I just read your PM. I loaded the V 1.96B Firmware into the stick, hopes were high, but no change. I am going to try again to load a new screen shot of the Config screen you requested, but I do not seem to be able to do that, not consistently for sure.

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Re: Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby fallout9 » Sun Apr 14, 2019 6:13

Everything seems fine in there. Is the device working though?

Last 2 shots 'cos I'm out of bullets: picture with the stick sitting on the base and screenshots with Profile/Axes/Physical Axes and Test/External Devices.

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Re: Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby Bill » Sun Apr 14, 2019 7:17

I will get those photo's for you tomorrow. Still has the solid red light on the BB. I just tried it in game for the first time. I can map buttons on the stick and they work in game, but no axis, axis controls are not not detected.

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Re: Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby Bill » Sun Apr 14, 2019 17:35

OK I am back. Screen shots of what you requested. I am learning as I go here. I tested in the Device Config program and buttons and axis work. I do have one four way switch that has one position not lighting up... no big deal at this point. When in the Test External screen I clicked on View Stats and a window came up with nothing on it and an "ErrorLevel word at the top of the window. Thanks for the help.

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Re: Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby Ron61 » Sun Apr 14, 2019 17:47

Show screenshots of the Profile-Buttons, Povs tabs. The Leds tab needs to be scrolled below to see the lines below 8 in addition to the previously posted screenshot.

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Re: Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby Bill » Sun Apr 14, 2019 17:51

Pictures of the stick. I am not sure you are going to get these pictures, I get an HTTP error and status never moves all the way to total green. One file is 3.3mb and the other 2.5mb. Is that the problem??

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Re: Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby Ron61 » Sun Apr 14, 2019 17:57

Make screenshots from the configurator together with the Alt key - then there will be a screenshot of only the active window, and not the entire desktop.
With more than 1Mb - will not boot.
Which one of them shines and does not suit?
v.1.6.png

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Re: Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby Bill » Sun Apr 14, 2019 18:11

Thank you Ron for joining in. The light labeled Stick is solid red. The light to the right of SYS is solid blue. I am working on your last request for more screen shots.

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Re: Solid Red Light on Blackbox

Postby Bill » Sun Apr 14, 2019 19:42

Photos of my stick.


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